Announcing ‘Ekta Yatra’ or ‘Unity March’ across 5,000 villages of the State, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that the Statue of Unity – world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel would emerge as symbol of national unity in the coming days.
The tallest statue of the world being constructed near Sardar Sarovar Dam site would be unveiled by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018 to mark 144th birth anniversary of the Ironman of India, said Rupani adding that the first phase of Ekta Yatra will be during October 19 to 29 and second phase would be between November 15 and 25. Interestingly foundation stone of the project was laid by Modi when he was Gujarat CM on October 31, 2013 for the project built at a cost of Rs 2,389 crore. The statue stands 3.2 km downstream of the Narmada dam on the islet, Sadhu bet.
“The entire precinct, including the installation place of ‘Statue of Unity’, would be made patriotic place with the theme ‘One India, Best India’ along with tourist spot. The landscape of the place is developed with the soil pieces collected from over 6-lakh villages across the country. The place will also have attractions like valley of flowers, boating, three-star hotel and food court to name few. Another major attraction would be ‘Light and Laser show’ which would give information about Sardar Patel and his role in the freedom movement of the nation as well as unification of India post-independence.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Ministers and top bureaucrats including CM Rupani are roaming across the country in order to invite Chief Ministers of all the States for the grand inauguration of the statue of unity project – 182 metres high statue of Sardar Patel.
The Gujarat Government wants this unveiling to be a grand event and has drafted almost all the Ministers to different States invite the respective Chief Ministers. Rupani recently went to Uttar Pradesh to invite his counterpart Yogi Adityanath. Deputy CM Nitin Patel went to invite Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. Minister Vibhavriben Dave visited the north eastern State Tripura. Agriculture Minister RC Faldu has been tasked to invite the Assam Chief Minister, Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama just returned from his trip to Haryana, while Food and Civil Supplies Minister Jayesh Radadia has been sent to Uttarakhand. Energy and Petrochemicals Minister Saurabh Patel is right now visiting Bihar with an invite for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the event.
Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja returned from his trip to Himachal Pradesh. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Ishwarbhai Parmar went to Goa for the purpose. Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava went to Tamil Nadu, while another Minister Dilip Thakore has been sent to Naveen Patnaik's Orissa, Revenue Minister Kaushik Patel to Jharkhand. Other members of Gujarat’s council of Ministers are visiting Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and other States.